


New Hel

by roughknuckles



Series: The New Gods [2]
Category: Marvel, Marvel Cinematic Universe, Thor (Movies), Thor - All Media Types
Genre: Afterlife, Hell, Implied/Referenced Torture, M/M, Post-Thor: Ragnarok (2017), Torture, Valhalla
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-01-16
Updated: 2018-02-10
Packaged: 2019-03-04 08:14:11
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,823
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13360269
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/roughknuckles/pseuds/roughknuckles
Summary: Thor travels to Hel to find his brother's soul after his death.Based in Marvel Cinematic Universe.(unconscious/indirect) comic book inspired canon: Loki - Agent of Asgard 1-17, Journey into Mystery 622-632, Fear Itself 1-7, Siege 1-4, Loki 1-4 (aka Thor & Loki: Blood Brothers), Thor & Loki - Original Sin 1-5[Can be read as a stand-alone, or as the second part of a series.]





	1. Chapter 1

“So, where is it we’re rescuing your boyfriend from again, mate?” Korg asked, dragging his sword on the ground behind him before swinging the massive blade upwards to rest flatly against his left shoulder.

“I am going to Hel, to find my brother.” Thor corrected gently. Though instead of gearing up with as many weapons as he could carry, Thor removed his metal chest plate and the chained armor that protected his forearms. He dropped all unnecessary weight, right where he stood, until he wore the clothing of an average Asgardian man, a warrior's tunic, boots, and a heavy black wool cloak that would act as bed and blanket for the days to come. “There is no rescue party. This is not your mission to undertake. This is an oath I must fulfill.”

“Yeah, but Hel, right? You’d do better to find your husband with comrades, and I’ve got nothing going on so, I thought-”

“My _brother_ , Korg. I am going to Hel to find the soul of my _brother_.” Thor corrected again.

“Yeah, alright. I thought maybe there was an issue with translation-" Korg rubbed the back of his head awkwardly, "because you two are sort of … I mean, no judgments mate, no worries … I just thought he was more than your brother.”

“He is my brother, and he is also more.” Thor said kindly and placed a hand over Korg’s large fist which held his blade, easing his hand down to lower his weapon. “You are a good friend, Korg. And you honor me, to offer your blade and your courage in battle once more. But this quest may take years, or centuries to accomplish. So I thank you, but ask that you to stay here. Enjoy life and your freedom.”

Thor patted Korg on the shoulder in farewell and walked off towards Doctor Strange who was waiting for him not far away. He gave a small nod to Strange to indicate that he was ready to go. Though Steven was having difficulty getting his arms free of his cloak, which was trying to wrap itself tightly around his body to protect him from the sharp Nordic winds. Eventually Steven Strange managed to get his hands out from under the enchanted fabric and opened the portal he had promised to provide for Thor.

And so without any further words, or good-byes among friends, Thor stepped through the rip in space, knowing that it might be a one-way journey for him. But Loki's soul was worth traveling to Hel for.

 

* * *

 

Thor cursed Steven Strange as he passed through the portal, now sealed behind him forever. Strange had sent him to Mephisto’s Hell. It was not the same thing as Hela’s Hel. This was entirely the wrong realm of the dead. This was a place of demons and stolen souls. No one came to this hereafter naturally. And though it was not beyond the realm of possibility that Mephisto would have stolen Loki’s soul as something powerful to covet within his collection, Thor instantly knew that his brother was not here.

A sickly yellow fog blurred this realm, it was the filth of demons constantly devouring each other, a mist of blood and waste which floated in the air that every demon breathed and absorbed into their warped and mutilated lives. The demons here would find perverse pleasure in Thor ripping them apart, which Thor suspected he would need to do in order to find his way out.

Fortunately, Mephisto’s Hell and the realm of Hela’s dead shared common boundaries. So there was some small hope, even if it meant navigating purgatory. A forsaken and disparaging task, even for the most courageous of hearts.

Pulling the hood of his cloak over his head, Thor, the fallen god, the former King of Asgard, began to walk his lonely path in search for his brother’s soul. A journey that would not end, in life or in death, until Thor found Loki. It was a driving force that the universe understood, even if lesser beings did not. In every universe, throughout the multiverse, where there was a Thor, there too was a Loki. In no known universe could one exist, while the other did not. Thor and Loki were bound to the other in every incarnation. And no force of nature, no force of magic, no force of technology, and no force of the cosmos would ever keep them apart for very long. A source of comfort Thor might have learned had he spoken with The World Tree, but that was not a conversation that Thor had either the knowledge or skill to initiate.

And so while demons fought each other in an endless battle, Thor could not bring himself to give them a moment’s thought. His mind acted as a shield from the terrors of Hell by remembering how Loki would smile at him, and the different ways he would laugh, from joyful, to those times with malice, he remembered them all. He replays in his mind, how it feels to hold Loki in his arms. And instead of hearing painful, endless screams, he hears Loki whisper to him, the stories they would tell each other as children, the conversations they would have when laying out under the stars on another planet, and secrets that only the other would ever know.

Drawing up these memories, and forcing himself to account for every detail helped pass the hours he spend trudging through the most gruesome remains of Hell. In doing this, hours managed to give way into days, and days into weeks. However, it was difficult to rest here, to sleep for more than a few minutes when hellish screams would seep into his unconscious mind. Therefore by his reasoning, if he was going to endure Hell in his dreams, he might as well be awake and keep on his path.

Until at last, perhaps months later, Thor came upon one of the rare points where the realm of Hell shared a border with Hel. Here, where Garm, the great Hel-Hound stood guard, preventing the dead from passing. She was sister to Fenris, though smaller perhaps, by a few feet.

Thor approached carefully, aware that Garm served Hela, like her sister Fenris did. Drawing back the hood of his cloak, Thor moved directly towards the wolf’s giant head, “Will you let me pass, Hel-Hound?”

Garm smelled the air, then huffed through her nose, the exhale warm against Thor’s face. “Asgardian. You are not of the dead. What brings you to the domain of my mistress?”

“I am Thor, Odinson.” Thor said, though did not declare his intentions, should his words somehow get back to Hela. “Will you let me pass?” He asks again.

“Thor, Odinson.” Garm repeated back, then sat down, apparently no longer on guard. “You may pass.”

Carefully, Thor began to pass by the giant wolf, though paused and considered the large creature. “How long has it been, gatekeeper, since you have had a scratch behind the ears?”

The wolf sentinel, who was subject to the sights and sounds of hell without relief began to wag her large tail against the ground. And Thor took this as his cue to climb up her shoulder and began to vigorously scratch behind her ear with both hands.

Though Thor was capable of showing kindness to many creatures, this specifically was something he felt that Loki would do. Garm could not leave her post, she had no friendly companionship, she was bound to this existence, this place, for her entire life. Which meant, this was the sort of friend that Loki was drawn to making. And in his absence, Thor made the bonds of friendship instead.

Thor dedicated several hours to Garm, helping to scratch hard to reach places and giving her the sort of attention she might not receive ever again in her lifetime. Even though his mission was to find Loki’s soul, a voice inside said that this was time well spent. In the end, Garm was left happily panting and wagging her tail as Thor finally headed off towards the Gates of Hel, the entrance to Hela’s domain, and Valhalla.


	2. Chapter 2

The halls of Valhalla were warm with firelight and gold. Through each archway there was a great table and heroes at feast. And if the souls ever tired of hearing the stories of their companions, all they needed to do was pass through an archway into another dining hall, where another feast was held. There were thousands of feasts all taking place at the same time. A never ending cycle of joy and pleasure. Here, mortal heroes sat with gods, brave deeds exchanged through stories, where no sorrow and no grief existed.  

Thor spent hours walking through each room. Had he been here for other reasons, he might have enjoyed seeing heroes of old, those at the center of all the famous stories Thor had grown up with. But he was not here to listen in on the stories of fallen gods and heroes. 

However, there was one dining hall that did bring Thor a small sense of comfort.

Here, Volstagg ate his fill, drinking from a large goblet of wine in one hand, and half a goat’s leg in the other. His laughter was full and hardy while he sat with his friends, Fandral and Hogun. They spoke of sweet lovers and playful children, they spoke of great adventures they had with one another, and also honorable deeds they had acted upon alone. 

Thor was happy to see his friends here, their souls resting comfortably in the halls of Valhalla. But as spirits, they did not see or hear Thor walk past the table, because their reality within the hereafter would not allow it. Even so, Thor stopped to speak a prayer to each of his friends, the honored dead, and bid them farewell. 

It was clear to Thor however, that Loki’s soul was not here. And if anyone knew where it was, it would be Hela. It was not a reunion Thor desired, but one he would bravely face even so.

 

* * *

 

The throne room was everything Thor had expected. It was a dark place, and cold, with only two dim sources of light. Silver flames attempted to escape fire pits on either side of the empty throne, this was soul-fire, this was hell-fire. It was the slow burn of a soul, stretched out over centuries. 

And though the silver flames cast long, trembling shadows across the room, there was movement in the room that caught Thor’s eye. A massive snake, a serpent of the underworld slowly twisting and constricting over a rock. Except as Thor allowed his single eye to adjust and focus in the darkness, he saw that it was more than just a rock. There was a figure bound to it so tightly, they were unable to move.

The jagged boulder dug sharply into Loki’s spine, forcing the former god to be bent and contorted backwards. His ankles were shackled, as too were his wrists, locked against the rock by only a single link of chain each; providing the hope of movement, but the opportunity for none. Golden threads crisscrossed his body, digging deep into his emaciated frame, binding him with an old and unforgiving magic. But more than this, there were bruises and bite marks from where the serpent constricted too tightly, and struck his victim, puncturing his skin with a powerful venom. Loki breathed hard, each rib visible through nearly translucent grey skin. He could not move as the snake began to drag his heavy weight across his throat, and gave only a muffled scream as he was struck again. Like the rest of his body, his mouth too had been bound with the same gold thread, sewn shut.

This was the punishment of Loki, this was the torment reserved for his soul.

But Thor would not let it last a moment longer. Grabbing the giant serpent, Thor strangled its head, even as it threatened to strike. His hands turned to fists, fighting the massive creature off his brother, attempting to beat it into submission. But when that did not work, Thor gathered his strength and ripped the head from the body. Its poisonous blood poured out onto the floor while Thor pulled the dead weight from off his brother. 

“Loki-” Thor struggled not to sob as he protectively covered Loki’s bare body with his own as best as he could. He held Loki’s face in his hands, supporting the back of his head, hot tears dripped down onto Loki’s face. “Brother.”

“This creature you call brother has made suffering into an art. He is my prized trophy. A centerpiece I enjoy.” Hela said, returning to the throne room upon sensing the death of the serpent. “He is a rare find. Born to Jotunheim, and yet has the soul of an Asgardian. Is it not exquisite? His soul glows like the moon, like light trapped in ice, no matter the strain of his torment, this dark star still burns.”

Thor lifted his head to glare at Hela, but did not leave Loki’s side.  “Give him to me, Hela. He does not belong here.”

"How sentimental." Hela said with a dry smile. Of course, now that Loki was dead, his soul belonged to Hela, and therefore could be set free, kept, traded, or put on display as she wished.

"Please." Thor said, knowing that if he begged, it would appeal to her. "Give him to me, Hela."

“Kneel before me, Thor Odinson, and I shall consider releasing Loki’s soul to you.”

Showing great respect and humility before Hela, Goddess of Death, Thor lowered his left knee to the ground. His back curved down and he pressed his right hand to the floor in front of him as he bowed his head, lowering his eyes. In silence, Thor waited to see if this subjugation pleased her.

“It is a good look to you, Odinson. I look forward to the day that I will claim your soul, I can see it will be well worth the wait.”

Hela stepped closer to her half brother, boot close to his lowered head. "In exchange for Loki’s soul, you must complete three trials for me Odinson.”

"Name them.” Thor said as he lifted his head to meet her gaze.

"How easily you agree to my terms. Should you fail in any one of them, not only will you not save Loki’s soul, you will never get another chance to do so."

“I understand Hela. What is your first task.”


	3. Chapter 3

Reckoning, Promise of Vengeance was a dagger that had been forged by Athena, goddess of wisdom and warfare. She made it with the blood of her lover, who Zeus had killed. And though Zeus had committed many atrocities towards women before, gods and mortals alike, Athena wanted revenge for her lover, and all those who had come before her. And so she forged Reckoning, a small, unassuming dagger that with one cut, could make a god mortal, and with a second, could kill.

Armed with Promise of Vengeance, Athena struck her father once across the face with the small blade, stripping him of all his power, then pushed the blade deep into his chest, killing the former sky god. But that was only the beginning. In her rage, Athena began to slaughter her entire pantheon of gods. After Zeus, was Hera, then Hades and Hephaestus, Dionysus, Ares, and Poseidon. In fact, the only ones to survive the Twilight of the Gods had been Aphrodite, goddess of love and fertility, and the twins, Apollo and Artemis. All others had either come to the aid of Zeus upon his death, or had enabled him in life.

It was a shock to all other pantheons of gods in the universe, that in one terrible, bloody day, an entire legion of gods could be killed. By one of their own, no less. It served as a warning to other gods, that they could be killed, and that selfishness and cruelty does not go unpunished.

Except that no one knew what happened next. Once the gods had been slaughtered, where did the four survivors go? There were rumors that Aphrodite remained goddess of love, but in another realm, far across the universe. And another rumor that Apollo and Artemis had asked Athena to cut them, so that they could live mortal lives, and die as such, as brother and sister. It was even rumored, that once Athena had her revenge upon the gods, she killed off all of Zeus's bastard children, half-gods and demi-gods. But the truth of this is unclear. As some say, once bathed in the blood of the gods, Athena still felt such grief for her lost love, that she cut herself once to become mortal, and a second time in order to die. Though there is no proof of either story. All that is known is that the dagger, Reckoning, Promise of Vengeance, became lost. An object of myth and legend, even among the gods, that Thor must now find for his first task.   
  
Unlike the mortal concept of earth and sky thousands of years ago, Olympus was not on the top of a mountain. It was in fact an island planet, much like Asgard, resting in deep space. There was no life left on Olympus, no gods, no magical animals, not even a blade of grass. Only the rot of godflesh existed here, the slow decomposition of the former immortals that would carry on for millennia to come.  

 

* * *

 

Traditionally, gods of opposing pantheons had no business with one another. Though Thor could do no offence here, not when everyone was dead. Still, it felt strange to him to walk among the dead, only knowing the gods and goddess here through stories. The Olympians had fallen to the end of days, the Twilight of the Gods by the hand of Athena. It was an outcome that had not been predicted or foretold. Unlike Ragnarok, the Doom of the Gods, which had long since been prophesied. But it teased a question in Thor's mind. Were all gods meant to fall? Were all pantheons meant to end? But for now, it was not an answer worth perusing. He made the trip here for other reasons.

Not that he knew what he was looking for. The dagger itself? Just laying around? A hint perhaps, of where Athena would have gone off to? Coming to Olympus was the best starting place Thor could think of, so here he was.

Thor spent days, searching each room, each tower, each dungeon of Olympus for anything useful. But the body count here was higher then Thor would like to actually keep track of. And the walls and floors were still stained red and black with god-blood, even after all this time. There was probably magical properties to that, but Thor did not know anything about blood magic. And wondered what Loki would do if he were here.

Perhaps he would have noticed right away the one object that still shined with light, still glowed with magic; whereas it took Thor several days to stumble upon. A shield, upturned so that the rounded side lay against the ground, and the concave side faced upwards. Like this, it looked like a shallow bowl, even filled with water. Or what looked like water, as when Thor when to touch the shield, drawn to its golden glow of light, the water did not move, it remained still like glass, or perhaps a mirror. Thor touched his fingers to the surface, though found it smooth, and perhaps slightly warm.

It was then that the glass blinked at him, the pool of water turning into a single grey iris, staring deeply at Thor. "Who comes into my sight?" The shield vibrated as it spoke, ripples trembling across the surface.

"I am Thor, Odinson." Thor answered, clearly not knowing enough about Athena or her magic before coming here. But he took the strange event in stride.

"God of Thunder." The voice spoke, while the eye fixated on the young god.

"Yes. You know me?" Thor asked, kneeing on the ground before the shield as he spoke to it.

"I know of you, Odinson. What brings the God of Thunder to Olympus?" There seemed to be no threat from the voice, no anger, but it did sound weary, broken down by time, heartbreak and isolation.

"I am here to find Athena's dagger, your dagger, I presume." Thor said, unsure of who he was speaking to, but felt confident in his guess. "The Reckoning, Promise of Vengeance."

The grey eye glowed to a brilliant, angry, sharp silver. "What need does Thor Odinson have with a god killer?"

"The need is not my own, Athena. I have been sent on this journey to retrieve it, in exchange for the soul of my brother." Thor answered, though could see how that might not be good enough.

"And who is it that has your brother's soul, Odinson?" The voice asked.

"My half-sister, Hela. Goddess of Death." Thor said and placed his hands on the edge of the shield as he spoke to the grey eye.

"It is no small thing, Odinson, to give the Goddess of Death, the Reckoning, a god-killer. She will use it without care or conscience. She will use it to kill gods, to bring them under the control of her domain. How is it that you would trade such a weapon, for one soul?"

"It is a dangerous weapon that you have forged, Athena. I agree. And there will certainly be consequences for it, in the end. But I love Loki, and cannot bear him suffering Hela's torment. He has shared his life with me, as my brother, and my heart aches to be without him at my side. It may not be the answer you are looking for, surely there is no wisdom in it. But I love him, and will not return until I have the means to save him."

"You are right, Odinson, there is very little logic or wisdom in how, or who we love. But it is a powerful force that should not be denied." The grey eye clears from the shield, and a shallow pool of water remains, with the dagger laying on the bottom of it. "A gift for you, Thor Odinson, I give you, Reckoning, Promise of Vengeance. Still stained with the gods of my realm. Take this shield with you and reach into the pool, when you are ready to claim it." The eye then came back into focus, looking at Thor one last time. "With it, I hope you are able to save the one you love."

"Thank you, Athena, for your benevolent gift." Thor said and bowed his head to the eye as it faded. Then taking up the shield, Thor left Olympus for the long journey back to Hel.


End file.
